Even in typical multi-storey buildings, apartments with an unusual layout are often found. One of the most common problems that have to be solved during renovation is what to do with a narrow living room. Common situation? Do you want to turn an elongated room into a cozy place to meet with friends, and not into a gloomy continuation of the corridor? We are ready to share tricks and useful tips!
Features of planning and design
A narrow and poorly lit room in a typical Soviet building is not a reason to despair. A competent combination of design techniques will help bring the shape as close to a square as possible, and the rational use of every centimeter will make it functional.
Try to "dissolve" borders by combining different shades, break symmetry, use diagonal lines. Bright color accents distract attention from the imperfections of the layout.
A narrow but too long room can be divided into two separate zones using an island arrangement of furniture or plasterboard structures. For example, a recreation area and a dining room or study. You can even set aside a corner for an extra bed in case guests are late.
But you should not use a full-fledged partition in the ceiling or a massive wardrobe to divide the space. Because of this, one part of the room will remain completely without natural light. So look for transparent structures, open shelving, countertops, bar counters, or glass.
Choosing an interior style
The living room can hardly be called the hallmark of the apartment, like an entrance hall or a corridor, but it sets the mood and atmosphere of the house. It is important to choose a style that will be equally comfortable for leisure, and for work, and for everyday worries.
Narrow living room in modern style
Modern style balances between classics and hi-tech, absorbing their best features. Eclecticism is in fashion, so any materials and colors can be combined in such a living room. The main thing is to decide on the accent in advance: for example, combine different textures, but stick to simple geometric shapes.
It is convenient to zone modern living rooms, which is perfect for narrow rooms. They also gravitate towards non-standard arrangement, asymmetry and any other manifestations of individuality. This fully compensates for the minimalistic lack of excessive decor, accessories and embellishments.
Narrow loft-style living room
Of all the rooms in the apartment, it is in the living room that the loft fits most naturally. After all, initially the first lofts in abandoned American factories were used specifically for creative meetings. Deliberate rudeness, brickwork, concrete surfaces, open communications - all this is complemented by bright accessories and decorations.
Wooden beams, ventilation shafts or plasterboard ceiling structures compensate for the elongated shape. Wooden planks fit perfectly on the floor, and old antique furniture can sit next to fashionable bean bag chairs. Ditch cute jewelry, toys, and unnecessary textiles in favor of posters, posters, and photographs.
Narrow living room in Scandinavian style
Scandinavian style is a northern minimalist trend that managed to maintain the line between cold calculation and home warmth. In such a living room, there is a lot of light, white and beige colors at the base, contrasting details and bright color accents. As a decor - pillows, candlesticks, figurines, panels and other handmade little things.
Scandinavian-style furniture is as simple and light as possible, which is especially good for a narrow living room. Use one of the narrow walls for chaotic open shelves or arrange a green corner. The main rule is only natural materials, textiles and shades.
Narrow living room in classic style
Despite the popularity of minimalist trends, sophisticated classics never go out of style. Details change, but its luxury and quality still attract designers from all over the world. It can be vintage interiors, artsy baroque, austere and monumental English style, or more modern and laconic neoclassicism.
The classic couch is impressive and massive, with expensive velvet-like upholstery. It is combined with antique furniture: dressers, dressing tables, side tables and chests. A separate decoration is aged decorative fittings, carvings, forged parts and glass inserts. For accents - white stucco, gilding, bronze, aged silver, copper and brass.
Narrow living room in Provence style
A Provence style living room is a godsend for romantics and lovers of decorative details. The French rustic style gravitates towards natural materials and textiles, floral ornaments, bleached and pastel colors, simple shapes, wooden beams. There is a place for handmade jewelry, forged candlesticks, knitted napkins and decoupage.
A fireplace, above which the picture hangs, will naturally and organically fit into the Provence style living room. On the surfaces there are flowers, figurines, napkins, small decorative household utensils. Be sure to use carpets, decorative pillows, furniture covers and other textiles.
Living room interior design: features and ideas (70 photos)
Colors for a narrow living room
The play of color in a narrow living room is the best way to visually correct the shape of the room. Therefore, instead of plain interiors, it is better to combine several adjacent or contrasting shades. For example, white with beige, gray or black.
On neutral milky or steel surfaces, bright accents from pure, rich or even acidic colors look harmonious. For traditional interiors, shades are needed more complex and deeper: mustard instead of yellow, burgundy instead of scarlet, emerald instead of grassy green.
Do not overuse dark colors, because in a narrow living room it is very important to preserve maximum light and avoid the effect of congestion. But natural shades of brown, even dark chocolate or mahogany, look much lighter than charcoal black.
Materials and design
It is quite simple to choose materials for decorating a living room: you do not need to take into account humidity, temperature and other specific conditions. Here you can use ordinary paper, wood, natural stone and other delicate materials.
Wall decoration
Most popular materials are suitable for the walls in the living room: wood panels, wallpaper, paint, decorative plaster. Use any pronounced textures to create accents on short walls. You can even leave bare brickwork on one of them - just paint it to your style.
To correct the geometry, you can paint long walls in light and bright colors, and short ones in dark and more saturated ones. Or, according to the same principle, combine warm and cold shades of the same range for monochrome interiors.
Floor finishing
The shape of a narrow living room can be adjusted with perpendicular lines. If you have parquet, laminate or tile with a rectangular pattern, lay it across long walls. And if the covering is monochromatic, use decorative carpets: for example, by the sofa in the recreation area.
Ceiling design
For the ceiling in a narrow living room, warm light tones of paint or a satin stretch canvas are best suited. But use gloss carefully: it visually doubles the volume of the room and, in the same proportion, disturbs the geometry even more.
If the height allows, use multilevel plasterboard structures - they will help to correct non-standard geometry. It is also convenient to build in them spotlights for zone illumination of a narrow living room.
80 living room design ideas in Khrushchev (photo)
How to arrange furniture in a narrow living room?
In a long and narrow room, there will inevitably be problems with the classic symmetrical arrangement of furniture. If you overdo it with the standard approach, you can turn an elongated room into a cluttered tunnel.
An atypical angular arrangement looks interesting, for example, a sofa at an angle. Broken asymmetric geometry disturbs the proportions and distracts attention, but this option is only suitable for fairly spacious living rooms. Sometimes it is worth replacing one bulky sofa with several soft armchairs.
Most often, it is easier and more rational to put furniture along the walls, choosing relatively low and oversized models. To prevent the interior from looking overloaded, dilute the cabinets and shelves with lamps, decor, and fresh flowers.
This is the rare case where several small dressers look more organic than a roomy, but bulky, full-wall wardrobe. But if, nevertheless, you cannot do without a wardrobe or dressing room, let it occupy all the space along the short wall.
The chaotic, asymmetrical layout blends seamlessly with modern interiors. A non-standard arrangement makes the living room special and individual. But furniture for such projects is better to be made to order - clearly according to your measurements and characteristics of the room.
Lighting and illumination
Lighting is the most important tool for visually changing a room and adjusting its shape. Give up the central chandelier - it creates the very unnecessary symmetrical composition. But a series of spotlights will not only visually move the walls apart, but also give a uniform diffused light.
Use wall sconces, floor lamps and table lamps for different zones. Loft pendant lamps above a sofa or dining table look interesting. And local neon or LED lighting will help to make the interior more modern and brighter.
85 small living room design ideas (photos)
Decor and textiles
Do not use too heavy textiles and complex compositions of curtains and lambrequins. They take up space, block the passage of natural light and build up dust. Light airy fabrics, openwork tulle, cotton and linen are excellent options for a light and cozy narrow living room.
Smooth lines in decorations, furniture, lamps will help to compensate for the shape of the room. Oval frames for paintings and mirrors, rounded lamps and candlesticks, plasterboard structures with fuzzy geometry - all this is at your disposal.
Any voluminous accessories, such as vases or sculptures, should be included in the layout in advance, taking into account the furniture. Large paintings and panels look good on short walls, but you can experiment with small chaotic compositions on long ones. Place mirrors, gloss and any reflective elements so that they do not enhance the very effect of the tunnel.
Narrow living room - photos of real interiors
Arranging a narrow living room is a real challenge for designers and decorators. But nothing is impossible, and we are ready to demonstrate this in practice in our selection of photos!
